ToriAllen

I don't understand why people get so up in arms over opposing views. I can understand discussing them, debating them, or even trying to disprove them, but it seems like so many people are really taking opposition personally these days.

I am using Facebook as an example...Yes, I'm on Facebook...Yes, I'm a nerd. Moving on:

Example one:

One of my friends put a status to the effect of:
"Judging by the status updates, looks like it was good for the blood pressure to miss Obama's speech"

After putting this as his status, one of the people on his friends list responded with:
"So what's the big deal...he's no longer Obama he's President Obama to you...like it or not....and clearly we have been sleeping for years now...@ "Name Removed" your opinion does not matter to him either he doesn't give a crap about what you have to say....deal with it!"

Then she removed him from her friend list...Really?

Example two:

Another one of my friends was posting various articles about the socialized healthcare and expressing opinions against it...The response he got:

"please do not ever contact me again. Attacking our first African-American president for trying to help the poor? And attacking his wife, too. How lame. I am truly disappointed with you.
You are such a disappointment as a young man, and Latino. "

Again...Really?

Can people not discuss their disagreements in a logical manner? Do people not realize that not everyone is going to agree with their point of view all of the time? I really don't understand that mindset. Now, I've debated with some people I thought had some pretty far out views, but I have never stopped talking to someone or being friends with someone because they disagreed with me.

So, is it the subject matter that gets people all emotional and up in arms?

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Smart men learn from their own mistakes; wise men learn from others.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

emkay64

I think some people just like running around with their arms in the air.

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emkay64

Just found this lol.

How to Have a Civil Political Debate | The Art of Manliness

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mercury

Because most people are too pigheaded to see things any way but their own, and too insecure to acknowledge that anyone holding an oppsing view may actually have valid reasons for holding it.

Ali

I've got friends on both ends of the spectrum....from strict conservative to tree hugging liberal and I have no problem with that. I've always been able to sit down and discuss politics with them and quite frankly, have learned a lot about my own views and reasons for my own standpoints after talking with them.

They have their beliefs and I have mine. If we're TRULY friends, there's no reason for anyone to be shunned based on what the other may or may not believe.

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"Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh."

A good word never broke a tooth.

ToriAllen

That's great.


Yeah, that sounds about right.

__________________
Smart men learn from their own mistakes; wise men learn from others.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

Ali

I used to hang out with a group where a couple of the guys would always razz one teacher about how much teachers suck...how their liberal ways were ruining our nation....how her profession was filled with nothing but no good, lazy bums looking for government perks and long vacations, etc...

I mean, we'd be out trying to relax and have a few drinks and the guys would go on, and on, and ON until she'd finally get so pissed off that her evening would be ruined, thus ruining everyone else's good time. It's fine to have your views, but show a little decorum when expressing them for crying out loud and know when enough is enough!

She eventually stopped hanging out with the group and so did I. It just wasn't fun anymore.



The moral of the story?: People can only take so much of a negative thing before they tire of it and move the fuk on.

__________________

"Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh."

A good word never broke a tooth.

ToriAllen

I feel the same way. I just don't understand people who get an attitude with you if you disagree with them. "Oh, I see the light now. I'll think just like you so you won't ignore me." I've seen this behavior a lot, but it seems to be exaggerated when it comes to Obama for some reason. The country seems more divided with him then it did under Bush or Clinton. I don't get it. The same people are complaining about his policies that complained about Clintons policies but I don't remember anyone reacting this drastically to opposition with Clinton. It is a little ridiculous. Obama is just a man, and should be open to ridicule like everyone else. Judging by the reactions of some people you would think their father had just been insulted, but the fact is, most of these people have never even met Obama. I think that is another thing I don’t understand. How can people defend a person they don’t even know, and not just his ideas, but the person himself. I would never think to stake my reputation on that of some politician I’ve never met and know nothing about aside from what he has to say on TV. I didn’t do that with Bush and unless I know someone personally I’m not going to swear to their good character or good intentions. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t even do that for 99 percent of the people I know personally. I liked Reagan, but I don't get personally offended if someone badmouths him or his policies. I certainly wouldn't stop talking to them.

__________________
Smart men learn from their own mistakes; wise men learn from others.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

ToriAllen

I get that, but that sounds more like harassment that debating political ideas. I’m referring to people simply stating their opinion about the healthcare plan, or in the case of my one friend, putting one status on his facebook about being glad he missed the speech. No one would want to be constantly harassed like your friend was, but living life requires a certain amount of tolerance when it comes to opposing views.

__________________
Smart men learn from their own mistakes; wise men learn from others.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

snafu

I think the reason is because these topics are extremely important. Our very existence as a free nation is in jeopardy as far as I'm concerned. True we can't stop dialect between the opposition but emotions are running high. My friend told me today that he was talking to his doctor about Obama's health care and his doctor came unglued and was ranting about how he will not be able to keep his practice the way it is now if Obama has his way. My friend agrees with him but he couldn't believe how stirred up his doctor got.

Our county might be changing drastically and people are very concerned. You have a far left congress and president with a majority of the population disagreeing and fearful that the very fabric of our country is at stake.

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*NEVER FORGOTTEN*